Innehållsförteckning för 2024-10-09 från Cape Argus

The award-winning Invisible Scars is set to captivate audiences with its raw portrayal of gender-based violence (GBV) and mental health issues in South Africa. The gripping two-hander, which was the 2024 Baxter Zabalaza Theatre Festival Best Production winner, has been described as an exploration of the human spirit and a call to embrace hope and renewal. It is written and directed by Themba Baleni, who also received the Best Director Award for the production at the Zabalaza Festival earlier this year. It features Thandolwethu Mzembe and Abongile Ntshuca, who play a married couple whose “once harmonious marriage morphs into a high-stakes battlefield where love becomes entangled with business dealings and personal betrayal as the relationship is strained to its limits, unravelling and revealing the profound impact of a couple’s darkest…

Near-fatal drownings cause for concern A SERIES of near-fatal drownings along the Table View coastline have placed the spotlight on the deployment of City lifeguards at beaches ahead of the busy summer season. This comes after two incidents near Bloubergstrand Beach at the weekend, in the absence of lifeguards. Brandon Janeka, a resident of Heideveld, risked his life to rescue a man and a woman from drowning at the beach on Saturday. Viral TikTok videos from the scene show a bystander noting there were no lifeguards present that day. On Sunday, a child was reportedly transported to hospital in a serious but stable condition after nearly drowning at Table View beach. The incidents follow a courageous lifeguard in Table View who last month also saved two suspected abalone poachers from…

A MOTHER is seeking justice after her 13-year-old son, Devano van Wyk, tragically died from a gunshot wound to the eye, allegedly inflicted by police. On Saturday evening, Devano had been watching a movie with his mother when he left to buy snacks. In a heart-wrenching turn of events, his mother, Olivia van Wyk, received the devastating news that her son had been shot. “I was standing by the window looking for my son and I thought, when I was told to go to the shooting scene, I thought it was my son’s godmother who was killed, but when I got there, I saw that it was my son laying on the street. He was then put in a police vehicle with me and then we went to the hospital…

A BELGRAVIA Road resident is fuming after an Uber Eats driver allegedly left his order on the pavement, only for him to find the food gone when he opened the door. Lester Mulligan, 54, said he ordered a Nando’s meal from Athlone via Uber Eats on September 20 and paid R326.26, including a tip. He said he was able to track his meal as it was prepared and saw when the driver was on his way. “When the app said the driver is close by, I went to sit in the lounge and was waiting because usually the driver will hoot, message or phone to say they have arrived, but nothing like that happened. “All I received from the driver was a photo on the app of my food on…

A decade ago, I had a brief spell of working in the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape is littered with small, dusty towns that serve as nexuses for the surrounding villages. Villagers come daily to town by taxi for work and, at month-end, to the bank to access their state pensions and shop for groceries. From Lady Frere to Lusikisiki and Tsolo to Thabankulu, each town boasts a plethora of retail outlets that line the main street. Mandatory amongst these are middle- to lower-end corporate retailers that target these markets. Banks, butchers, fast-food chicken outlets, and bottle stores are integral components of life here. Driving on the freeway, one sees an endless horizon of arid, parched plains, with the occasional shepherd and a cow or two. One will often encounter…

I don’t understand why is the termination of analogue TV so important and how will the country benefit economically. I think SABC will lose many viewers from the poor communities, specially those living in the rural areas, squatter camps and back rooms (and zozos). Like many others, I have applied for the free DTT Television Set Box from the beginning but until today, I have not received it. Fortunately, I am connected to the digital, but I still use analogue. DStv has its own disadvantages, it is allergic to bad weather conditions specially during rainy days, it loses signal. Another disadvantage is that you cannot use your digital connection at home to watch your TV anywhere you want to (like outdoors, church, school, etc.), like we do with analogue TV.…

The tragic deaths of five children in Naledi, Soweto, highlight systemic failures in child safety and government oversight of spaza shops in South Africa. The children died after allegedly consuming contaminated snacks. This is not an isolated incident. It echoes the loss of three children in the same township a year ago due to toxic cookies. Such recurring tragedies underscore a grim reality that South African authorities seem unwilling or unable to confront: the danger posed by unregulated spaza shops that flood local communities with expired and unsafe food items. Residents of Naledi are grappling with fresh grief as the memory of the young lives lost lies heavy in the air. The emotional toll on families is vast, and as they mourn, the silence emanating from the Gauteng provincial government…

NEW YORK: UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres this week appealed for peace in the Middle East in his message to mark the one-year anniversary of the Gaza conflict, which started on October 7 last year. “This is a day for the global community to repeat in the loudest voice our utter condemnation of the abhorrent acts of Hamas, including the taking of hostages,” said the UN chief, demanding their release. In a separate message, UN General Assembly president Philemon Yang called for an immediate ceasefire. “Only a two-state solution … can guarantee lasting peace and security for both the people of Israel and Palestine,” he said. | Xinhua…

The Proteas' recent tour in the United Arab Emirates has concluded with mixed results. Winning four matches and losing an equal number, the team faced challenges across various formats, including a disappointing ODI series defeat to Afghanistan. Here, Ongama Gcwabe summarises the critical insights from this tour. Lack of Efficacy Against Spin South African batters' struggles against spin were highlighted once again during this tour, particularly after the ODI series loss to Afghanistan. The prowess of Afghan spinners like Rashid Khan and Allah Ghazanfar, ensured the South African batting line-up was bowled out for just 106 and 134 in Sharjah. This recurring issue indicates a deep-rooted challenge for the team, especially given the abundance of quality spin encountered in international tours and leagues like the Indian Premier League. Domestic Cricket…

AN ANGOLAN mother who has been living in South Africa illegally for the past decade is in a legal battle with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), seeking permanent residence so her disabled son can continue receiving free and lifelong care at a special school in Cape Town. The woman, whose identity is being withheld to protect her family, arrived in the country in November 2013 using a visitors’ visa that expired in January 2014. She was in the company of her now 17-year-old son, her daughter, as well as her husband. According to court papers, her son has severe dystonic spastic cerebral palsy, is developmentally delayed and non-verbal, and suffers from a form of quadriplegia. The son has been accepted at the Friends Day Centre in Maitland, which specialises…

THE former bodyguard of slain “Steroid King” Brian Wainstein has openly admitted to lying to alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield after planning the murder of his own boss. The shocking revelation was made as the bodyguard, who has fingered Jerome “Donkie” Booysen and Mark Lifman as being behind the plan to murder the international fugitive, told the Western Cape High Court how he tried to cover his own tracks. Wainstein was gunned down in his Constantia home in August 2017, as he lay sleeping next to his wife and child. At the time of his murder, he was named on Interpol’s Most Wanted list as he allegedly fled the US. In the mammoth underworld trial, the State has brought Wainstein’s former bodyguard to take the stand and outline his…

FOUNDER of the hugely successful Swimmattix Swim School in the Western Cape, Matt Pike, has been recognised as an influential leader at the Forty under 40 South African Awards. Pike, who has been running his business for just over 10 years, won the Family Business category at the awards hosted in Johannesburg at Radisson Blu Hotel at the weekend. The Forty under 40 Awards aims to recognise and celebrate emerging leaders who demonstrate or impact the world personally or professionally through their leadership. Swimmattix Swim School is open at nine (soon to be 10) branches across the Western Cape. Over the past decade, Pike, who holds a BA in Creative Brand Communications and certifications as a STA Level 2 Swim Teacher, STA Level 2 Baby and Preschool Teacher, and STA…

ActionSA is alarmed by the glaring absence of accountability from President Cyril Ramaphosa, who nearly a month ago on September 11, acknowledged receiving a report from the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Thembi Simelane, regarding her alleged role in the VBS Mutual Bank looting scandal. Exactly 42 days ago, ActionSA wrote to the president on August 26, bringing this matter to his attention with the hope that he would act swiftly to hold the Minister of Justice accountable. Sadly, after further correspondence on September 18, the president, who claimed to be processing the report and said that he “needed time and space” to process the minister’s response while he was away in China, has done nothing and gone mute. With reports now suggesting that the president may have first…

The Bulletin of the National Library of South Africa (BNLSA) is a scholarly publication issued by the National Library of South Africa since 1946. I have published six articles in the Bulletin so far. However, a couple of months ago, the editor sent me extremely unethical feedback regarding my new article. Since 2014, I have been submitting articles to the Bulletin and have never received such an awkward response. I realized that this was the first time I had written about Palestine in this journal, and it was also the first time I had received such ridiculous feedback. While I do not mind too much, since the article was published in a more reputable journal, the issue lies in the fact that the Bulletin demonstrated a biased approach toward scholars…

As Heritage Month fades into memory, there’s a palpable feeling of missed chances and unfulfilled potential. The monuments that should stand as proud testaments to our history and resilience now serve as reminders of bureaucratic inefficiency and wasted potential. The Women’s Living Heritage Monument, a R200 million tribute to the spirit of South African women, stands silent and unused, its gates locked due to shoddy workmanship and a missing occupancy certificate. Despite an additional R80m poured into its resurrection, it remains a dormant giant, with its potential to inspire and educate untapped. In the heart of Soweto, the once-vibrant Walter Sisulu Square crumbles, a R160m monument has been reduced to a shell of its former glory. Where once stood a beacon of hope and history, now lies a haven for…

On paper, Pakistan’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $7 billion (R123bn) bailout seemed like an inevitability. A period of crushing inflation, depleted foreign currency reserves and other economic shocks pushed the South Asian nation to the brink of default. But locking down the funds recently might have been the easy part. The finer print of the IMF programme, which included increasing taxes by a record 40%, has caused panic across Pakistan. Leading to the deal, electricity prices jumped threefold for some people and the price of milk in Karachi surpassed what it would cost in Paris. Many Pakistanis spend more than half their income on food. And items from rice to shoes are increasingly out of reach for a shrinking middle class. “People simply have…

London: The chief of Britain’s domestic intelligence service yesterday blamed extreme right-wing ideologies for a “a threefold increase in the last three years” of children being investigated for terrorism. MI5 boss Ken McCallum also said that Russian intelligence was seeking to cause “mayhem” in Britain because of its support for Ukraine and that M15 had investigated growing numbers of Iran-backed plots. Under-18s represented 13% of people being investigated over terror activities, McCallum said, adding that the internet was the “biggest factor” driving the rise. | AFP…

A SOUTH African man who emigrated to New Zealand earlier this year with his parents has died following an assault. Luke Smith, 21, died in hospital yesterday, after he was assaulted in Courtenay Place, Wellington. According to Tim Leich, from the Wellington Criminal Investigations Branch, the case is now a homicide enquiry. “The victim of the Sunday morning assault, 21-year-old Luke Smith, died in hospital (yesterday), surrounded by family after his life support was withdrawn overnight,” said Leich. Police said Smith and his parents had emigrated to Upper Hutt from South Africa. A post-mortem is expected to take place today, “after which Luke’s family are planning to return him to South Africa for his funeral”. Police said they were still working to determine exactly what happened. “Luke was assaulted about…

WESTERN Cape police have arrested four more suspects, including another police officer, in the investigation into the extortion of Chinese nationals in Milnerton. Just days after the Anti-Corruption Unit swooped in on seven officers of the SAPS Public Order Police unit, police yesterday said they arrested more suspects linked to the case. The arrest of the first seven officers caused a stir at Milnerton police station, as rumours spread that police officers were being kept in the holding cells. According to a source, the brazen officers arrived in full uniform and used marked SAPS vehicles at China Town and extorted R28 000 from the shop owners. Police spokesperson, Malcolm Pojie, confirmed the arrests on Sunday. In a statement yesterday, police spokesperson, André Traut, said four more suspects were arrested following…

I refer to the letter published in your publication last week Thursday (Jewish woman attacked outside Parliament ) and note the blatant inaccuracies and falsehoods presented by the writer, who claims to represent the Jewish community. The incident he refers to was seemingly a planned provocation by supporters of Zionist Israel, who thrive on accusations of anti-Semitism. The woman had in fact assaulted a pro-Palestinian and anti-genocide protester before she was redirected away from the protesters. If her name is known to the writer and the SAPS, we will lay charges against her for assault and affray. The letter refers to her as a Jewish person, but it was clear that she identified as a supporter of Israel rather than a Jewish person. Many pro-Palestinian protesters in our group are…

ActionSA rejects the Minister of Police’s refusal to answer critical questions about the true cost of VIP protection for South Africa’s bloated billion-rand Cabinet, which we believe underscores the urgent need for a complete overhaul of the Ministerial Handbook that grants excessive perks at the expense of overburdened taxpayers. In response to ActionSA’s parliamentary question, which sought to determine the number of VIP protectors and luxury vehicles assigned to each of the 32 ministers and 43 deputy ministers, as well as their costs and the specifics of the blue light fittings attached, the minister refused to provide these details, citing vague security concerns. South Africans would be shocked to see how Parliament’s parking lot resembles a luxury car dealership, with the latest German SUVs, making it look more like a…

RIO DE JANEIRO: About 200 people may have been buried after a landslide occurred this week in a port area of Manacapuru, Brazil’s Amazonas state, according to official sources. The Military Firefighters Corps of the State of Rio de Janeiro said that the land supporting part of the Terra Preta Port, located on the banks of the Amazon River, slid due to unknown reasons. Although the area was under construction, the port continued to operate as a key transportation point. The landslide could be related to riverbank erosion, which has been worsened by the severe drought affecting the Amazon region. | Xinhua…